Wedge-tight clamp

ABSTRACT

The gripping end of a pair of jaws are clamped over the work by means of a clamp screw. Engaged between the other ends of the jaws is a bar on a shackle. When a pulling force is applied to the shackle in the longitudinal direction of the jaws, the other ends of the jaws tend to spread, the jaws pivot about the clamp screw, and the gripping ends thereof tighten against the work. At the gripping end, one of the jaws is provided with projections which are engageable by hooks on the shackle so that a pull at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the jaws can be applied to the work.

United StatesfPatent 1 1 Buske [4 Aug. 6, 1974 [54] WEDGE-TIGHT CLAMP 3,673,842 7/1972 Sanchez 72/705 [76] inventor: Ervin Buske, PO. Box 190, G'owrie, Primary Examiner cha'fles w Lanham Iowa 50543 Assistant Examiner-M. J. Keenan [22] Filed: Mar. 16, 1973 211 App]. 190.; 341,913 1 ABSTRACT The gripping end of a pair of jaws are clamped over the work by means of a clamp screw. Engaged be- (g1. 7-2/4%72,l"li2/l7/(l); tween the other ends of the jaws s a bar on a shackle [58] Fieid 309 312 When a pulling force is applied to the shackle in the 4/263 k longitudinal direction of the jaws, the other ends of the jaws tend to spread, the jaws pivot about the lamp screw, and the gripping ends thereof tighten [56] References Cited 0 I agamst the work. At the gripping end, one of the aws UNITED STATES PATENTS is provided with projections which are engageable by 2,608,730 9/1952 Killius 72/705 hQQkS on the shackle so that a pull at right angles to 31761237 10/1966 Tran-Sue 72/705 the longitudinal direction of the jaws can be applied to 3,338,086 8/1967 Hunter 72/457 the work j 3,581,547 6/1971 Estigarribia.. 72/705 3,610,022 10/1971 Lincourt; 72/457 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures 1 WEDGE-TIGHT CLAMP PRIOR ART Transue U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,237.

OBJECTS Wedge-tight clamps are known for their usefulness in, for example, the automobile body repair business. Typically, the clamping ends of an elongate pair of jaws are engaged over the work and tightened together by means of a clamp screw. When the other ends of the jaws are spread apart, the jaws fulcrum about the clamp screw and the clamping ends engage all the tighter onto the work. The other ends of the jaws are usually spread by a cross bar on a shackle engaged therebetween which, when attached to a pull chain, tends to spread the other ends apart.

In auto body repair work, one of the key factors concerns the direction in which a pulling force is applied. Although the usual wedge-tight clamp is well suited for applying a pulling force in the longitudinal direction of the jaws, which is usually parallel to the plane of a sheet of metal over which the clamping ends of the jaws are engaged, it is poorly suited for applying a pull at or near right angles to the longitudinal direction of the jaws or normal to the plane of the work.

The object now is to provide a wedge-tight clamp which has the versability of the usual clamp of its type, but which may also be used for applying a right-angle pull to the work. To this end, it is intended to provide means interengageable on one of the jaws adjacent the clamping end thereof and on the shackle normally used for wedging the jaws apart so that, instead of being used as a wedging member, the shackle may be engaged with the clamping end of the jaws for applying a right-angle pull. Specifically, it is an object to provide projections on the clamping end of one jaw, and hooks on the shackle.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing the jaws, clamp screw and nut, and shackle;

FIG. 2 shows the assembly in normal wege-tight clamping use; and,

FIG. 3 shows the assembly when used for applying a right-angle pull to the work.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, the wedge-tight clamp 2 comprises a pair of elongate jaws 4 and 6 whose workengaging ends 8 and 10 are provided with interdigitating cup-shaped teeth 12 for biting into the work 14 over which the work-engaging ends of the jaws engage. The jaws are normally drawn together over the work by means of clamp screw 16 which passes through holes 17 in the jaws intermediate the ends thereof.

When the clamp nut 18 is tightened, the work-engaging ends of the jaws are tightened against the work.

A pulling force in the longitudinal direction of the jaws is applied by means of a shackle 20 having cross bars 22, one of which cross bars is engaged between the elongate jaws remotely from the work-engaging ends thereof. Thus, when a pulling force is applied in the longitudinal direction of the jaws: by means, for example, of a pull chain hooked as at 24 to a shackle cross bar 22, the jaws tend to fulcrum about clamp screw 16 and the work-engaging ends of the jaws squeeze the work between them all the more tightly. A stop 26 is provided on the remote ends of the jaws to keep the shackle from pulling free from between them.

The improvement constituted by this invention is as follows: Shackle 20 is provided at one end with hooks 28 and one of the work-engaging ends of the jaws, namely, end 8, is provided with ear-like projections 30 over which the hooks engage. In operating according to the new mode provided by this invention shackle 20 and specifically a cross bar 22 thereof is not engaged between the remote ends of the jaws, but rather hooks 28 are engaged over outwardly projecting rods projections 30 so that a right angle pull can be applied to the work, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the arrow denoting the direction of the pull.

1 claim:

1. A wedge-tight clamp assembly comprising a pair of substantially L-shape jaws each comprising an elongate stem portion and .a relatively short foot portion, said jaws being disposed with free ends of the stem portions engaged against one another and free ends of the foot portions facing one another,

a clamp screw engaging between the stem portions, one of said jaws having on each of opposite sides thereof adjacent the juncture of said stem and foot portion an integral outwardly projecting rod,

and a shackle comprising a spaced pair of parallel bars connected by a spaced pair of cross members,

at least one of said cross members being engagable between said jaws for spreading the free ends of the stem portions thereof apart and thereby pivot the same about the clamp screw, thereby swinging free ends of the foot portions towards one another,

the shackle bars each terminating at one end of the shackle in a hook,

the hooks being engagable over the rods, whereby,

when a cross member of said shackle is engaged between the jaws of the clamp, an endwise pull thereon may be exerted, and when said hooks of said shackle are engaged over the rods on a jaw of the clamp, a side-wise pull may be exerted thereon.

# =l= l l 

1. A wedge-tight clamp assembly comprising a pair of substantially L-shape jaws each comprising an elongate stem portion and a relatively short foot portion, said jaws being disposed with free ends of the stem portions engaged against one another and free ends of the foot portions facing one another, a clamp screw engaging between the stem portions, one of said jaws having on each of opposite sides thereof adjacent the juncture of said stem and foot portion an integral outwardly projecting rod, and a shackle comprising a spaced pair of parallel bars connected by a spaced pair of cross members, at least one of said cross members being engagable between said jaws for spreading the free ends of the stem portions thereof apart and thereby pivot the same about the clamp screw, thereby swinging free ends of the foot portions towards one another, the shackle bars each terminating at one end of the shackle in a hook, the hooks being engagable over the rods, whereby, when a cross member of said shackle is engaged between the jaws of the clamp, an endwise pull thereon may be exerted, and when said hooks of said shackle are engaged over the rods on a jaw of the clamp, a side-wise pull may be exerted thereon. 